Wareham adds 20 acres to the Weweantic River Corridor

Thursday

Jul 26, 2012 at 12:20 AMJul 26, 2012 at 12:32 AM

WAREHAM — Collaboration between the Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Wareham Land Trust has allowed the town of Wareham to secure 20 acres along the Weweantic River, adding to the already protected land in the Weweantic River Corridor.

LEANNE POIRIER

WAREHAM — Collaboration between the Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Wareham Land Trust has allowed the town of Wareham to secure 20 acres along the Weweantic River, adding to the already protected land in the Weweantic River Corridor.

The land was purchased from a private development company for $420,000 with local and state matching funds from the Wareham Community Preservation Committee and federal grant funds from the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program. The Conservation Commission will own and maintain the land.

Brendan Annett, vice president of Watershed Protection for the Bay Coalition, said ensuring the safety of the wetlands and forests around the river will serve to keep clean water running into the bay. "Healthy wetlands and forests act as filters; they are extraordinarily important to protecting Buzzards Bay itself," he said.

The Buzzards Bay Coalition has been working on the project since late 2010. The Weweantic is the largest secondary river to the bay.

The Buzzards Bay Coalition and Wareham Land Trust will both hold a conservation restriction on the property — "which legally extinguishes the potential to develop the property," Annett said. "It permanently protects (the land)."

David Pichette, the Wareham conservation administrator, said the 20 acres is just another piece of the 153 acres owned by the town along the river that is imperative to preserving wildlife and natural habitat.

Pichette said further expansion is eyed. "We do have certain parcels we have targeted for future projects if we can secure agreements with the owners and the land trust," he said.

The land will be accessible for public recreation. A parking area and trail will be built on Blackmore Pond Road connecting it to the river.